Raspberries, licorice, milk chocolate and raw mushrooms on the nose. Juicy and medium-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity. Drink now.

The 2011 Monica di Sardegna Antigua is an absolutely joyous wine for the money. Dark red cherries, grilled herbs, juniper berries and spices all burst from the glass. In 2011 Santadi did a magnificent job with this entry-level red, a wine that captures the essence of one of Sardinia’s indigenous grapes, and way overdelivers for its modest price. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2014. What a pleasure it is to taste these new releases from Santadi, one of Sardinia’s leading producers. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2009 Monica di Sardegna Antigua shows marvelous intensity at this level. Dark fruit, earthiness and licorice are some of the aromas and flavors that take shape in the glass. Slight elements of rusticity remain, but that is a very small criticism for a wine that delivers so much pleasure at this price. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. From top to bottom this is an impressive set of wines from Shardana. One of the developments here in recent years has been an increasing reliance in cement over stainless steel for the whitesImporter: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2007 Monica di Sardegna Antigua is a stunning, beautiful wine. A refined, elegant red, it flows from the glass with a multitude of dark cherry, earthiness and smoke flavors. This delicious wine is an utterly compelling value to enjoy now and over the next few years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2010. Santadi offers a wide range of value-priced wines that run the gamut of Sardinia’s unique native varieties.Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900